Punctuality Is Of Great Importance
by paisandkai
Summary: Tutoring the school's jock proved a task that Haley James didn't deem herself capable of. To her misfortune, she just isn't one to turn down a challenge. Naley AU. Nathan is a grade above Haley.
Being assigned to tutor a senior was a terrifying new prospect. Later being told that senior was all mighty Nathan Scott sent her into a fit of panic. Of course she'd never let that show, however. She had heard about his insufferable personality and decided to not give him the benefit of seeing her squirm. She'd be professional. Only going over his English essays and incorrect math equations, there'd be no time for chit chat. No time for him to break down her calm and cool composure. As a junior, she had no classes with him. Luke had- and what he had reported back to her was nothing short of horrific. He spoke back to the teachers, started fights in class and spent more time trailing his hand up the insides of girls' thighs than he had picking up a pencil. When Coach Durham had asked for her specifically to be in his office that lunch time, she had no idea what he would request. The fact it was a plea to tutor the school's star point guard was a shock. She was too good, too welcoming. Haley James never wanted to disappoint. So as she sat in the tutor centre waiting for the jock, she had prepared a smile just big enough that it reached her eyes but not too wide that he thought she was a single breath mint away from him sticking her tongue down his throat.

She had waited for a half an hour. For half an hour she was fully ready to give Nathan the benefit of the doubt. That he was late- a freak accident or he had lost track of the time. By the 45th minute her stance was seeming more pointless by the second. Picking up her rucksack, she crammed her planners in and left a post-it note for Nathan on the bulletin board. Just in case.

 _You were late._

 _Punctuality is of great importance, Scott. Remember that._

 _Your Quite Pissed Off Tutor (Haley)_

 _PS. Try and not waste my time next time._

* * *

The next day she spotted him across the quad. Telling Luke to stay put, she placed her juice box onto the picnic table and rummaged through her bag for his personalised schedule she had made within the first 10 minutes of their session she had planned yesterday. Mustering up all the courage she had, she began her descent into hell. The closer she got to the jock table, the more her brain screamed at her to retreat. Just sit her ass back down next to Luke and plan their next water balloon fight but her legs were on a mission. Haley James is a do-gooder and she had promised Coach Durham he wouldn't have to be recruiting a new point guard in the next couple of weeks. Before she had conjured up a speech to recite to him she was there. Witnessing the beauty of Nathan Scott firsthand. The beauty she wasn't going to allow get to her. Clearing her throat, she looked down at him.

"Nathan, can I talk to you for a sec?" Her first approach was to be polite.

The pretty boy sighed, and looked at her as if each word she had just spoken bored him to sleep. "No, I will not go to prom with you or go to a party with you or whatever other favour you were thinking of asking. I don't go for juniors." He spoke as if he had rehearsed these lines a hundred times.

Offended at his ludicrous ideas, she smirked. "Unless you want your buddies to know of your extra curricular activities that don't consist of you handling balls, you'll want to talk to me for a sec." Her second approach wasn't as polite. She reasoned with herself that if he wasn't going to be kind, then Haley James 'Nice Girl' was dead for the rest of this conversation.

Her words seemed to piss him off. He broke apart from the herd and followed her to a tree. Not before being hollered at by one of his co-neanderthals. "Going for 'em a bit young, huh Nate?"

She saw his eyebrows scrunch up in irritation and noted his clenched fists. Surely, the prospect of herself wasn't that horrifying. Nathan scrummaged in his back pocket and revealed her post-it note. "Haley, I'm guessing?"

Nodding her head, she shoved his tutor schedule into his hands. "Know this Scott. I don't take well to the ungrateful. Prove me wrong." With that, she walked back to where her cheese and ham sandwich was waiting for her. Not before tripping over her own feet. Her big line was too good to be true.

* * *

Balancing her bag on her knee and her English essay in her mouth, Haley was in quite the predicament trying to empty her books into her locker. The bell had rang around an hour ago and she had just finished her last tutoring session five minutes previous. With a final push, she had squashed her books and t-shirt into her locker. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned around to be face to face with her runaway tutee.

"I can't do Thursdays or Fridays."

Looking at his schedule, she had put two out of three of his weekly sessions on these days. Not buying his bullshit, she questioned him.

"Can't or won't?"

Sighing, he took the pen nestled behind her ear and bit the cap off. Haley watched as his calloused hands gripped her pen and drew arrows from the four o'clock slot to one above. All the way to seven o'clock in the morning in fact.

"I can't. You're free at seven right?"

Haley shook her head at his complete lack of boundaries concerning other people's belongings.

"Yeah, but school doesn't open till eight. So meet me at the docks."

Haley watched as he nodded his head and brought the cap of her pen out of his mouth and back onto her pen. In shock that he was about to place it back behind her ear, she reasoned with him.

"You'll need a pen for Thursday- and paper for that skillzer. You do own that right? Unless you want to go through my bag and cover my notepad in your saliva too?" She said hoping for a smile of sorts. His stoic demeanour never shook.

Picking up her rucksack, she made to move away from him. Hearing him laugh, her body whirled around and suddenly she hoped to god she hadn't sat on Luke's ice cream this lunch time. Double checking her bottom, she looked up at him expectantly.

"And what do you bring?," he spoke with a tone. Nothing putting him under the heading of 'Rude' but perhaps coy. Tightening her bag straps so her rucksack elevated higher onto her back, she replied. "An award winning smile," and continued her walk out of the school.

* * *

Thursday's used to be a good day for Haley. She'd have two study periods in the morning and due to some freak of a timetable planning, be graced with four periods of English. Her Thursday's were calming, nothing that caused her mass amounts of stress. Until Nathan Scott swaggered into her life with his bored voice and lifeless eyes. She wondered how someone who has everything could seem so dead. The peak of life she had seen exude from Nathan Scott was his flirtatious statement the Tuesday passed. "And what do you bring?" He had posed his question to throw her off guard. Little did he know that just the prospect of tutoring him had thrown Haley off guard and had since then to prepare her little tidbits of courage over and over in her head- and the mirror.

Thursday's no longer held such solitude for her. It was half past six and here she was sitting down at her kitchen table alone, drowning her sorrows in Fruity Pebbles. It would only be ten minutes until she'd make her way to the docks and hope Nathan showed up. She had no reason to doubt him. Besides his first session when his presence was null and void, he had repented by trying. By coming up to her and making the effort to change around the times, he had showed her a side that the rumours didn't cover. He cared. About what she wasn't sure.

Settling down on one of the picnic tables at the dock, she awaited his arrival.

He arrived five minutes late. She had made a passing comment about punctuality and he replied quoting her, "Punctuality is of great importance, yeah?" Maybe the comment was intended to mock her but she felt anything but. In tow, he had brought a Cracker Jack packet. Tearing the packet open, he emptied the prize out into his hand. A bracelet. She felt his eyes burn into her head as she scurried through his text books to find the page going over logarithms, when he cleared his throat. Peering up, he handed her the bracelet. "For you."

Not falling for his charms she attempted to protest, whilst he manoeuvred the tacky decoration onto her wrist. "Do you see this book? Because this book is me. I am math."

Nathan's face read one clear emotion; confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Replying to him in a rambling manner, she knew she was too deep in her argument to go back now. "It's supposed to mean that you can work your whole "I'm Nathan Scott, Mr. Big Shot, scoring my touchdowns" on somebody else, because-"

Cutting her off, Nathan says, "I don't even play football." His eyebrows tug up in anticipation to the rest of her speech.

Carrying on, Haley proclaimed, "Whatever. The point is, at the end of the day all your bluster and BS don't mean anything to math, because math don't care, and neither do I."

Laughing at her statement and the fact she was so irked by a Cracker Jack bracelet, he could tell she wasn't going to be swooned into shorter tutoring sessions. "Take it as a, "I'm Sorry For Bailing On You" bracelet," he says, in a final attempt to get her to shut up. Seeing the newfound smile grow on her face, he knows he's said the right thing.

"Does that come with a Hallmark card too?"

* * *

The school was in distress. Each class she had sat in for an hour was being swarmed with the same bullshit and rumours, that personally she really couldn't care less about. Even Lucas seemed to be getting caught up in it. That was probably less to do with his love for drama- that being very minimal, but more for his infatuation with a certain blonde cheerleader. She first encountered the news from an awfully quiet Nathan that morning. They were barely even acquaintances but she tended to get at least a hey from him as she walked past his locker on days that they didn't have a session before school. Today was devoid of any greeting and she had spent the 5 minutes in home room over analysing anything she could have ever done to him. That's what Haley James did. If she faced a problem, she retraced her steps. Of course she had no issue accepting the fact that she'd meet people in life that would simply not like her and she was accepting of that. However, if there was an easy fix, she sure as hell would find it. She was a likeable person! Her questions were answered as Bevin Mirskey had walked in a minute later and stage whispered across the class to Rachel Gatina that Nathan and his on-again-off-again girlfriend Peyton Sawyer had indeed, broken up. Feeling silly for her previous inner outburst of melodrama, she spent the rest of the day attempting to avoid the rumours so she'd act as natural with Nathan at their study session after school.

On the quad, her and Luke were sharing her sandwich whilst she drank sips of his water. This was the most talkative he had been in weeks. He spoke with a glint in his eye and she couldn't help but laugh at her friend for his enthusiasm over a broken up couple.

"I'm not being insensitive Hales! I'm just happy she broke up with his sorry ass," he explained.

"Y'know he isn't that bad?" Haley attempted to reason but was met with a flabbergasted Lucas choking on his end of the cheese and ham sandwich. Patting his back, she continued. "In our tutor sessions, he's not much of anything. Just willing to learn."

"That turn you on Hales?" He said with a smirk. Punching his shoulder, the two laughed and carried on eating their lunch and digressing over Mouth's new branch of merchandise for ravenhoops.

* * *

She had not been expecting him to show up to their tutor session after school. To her surprise, he was there. Sitting at the back of the tutor centre, with his hood up and looking, to put nicely, dreadful. As she neared him, he lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Y'know someone told me that punctuality was of great importance, James." Laughing at their inside joke, she took a seat and put her hand out to receive his homework. As her hand stayed hovering with no sheet of math equations laying in it, she questioned him.

"Where's it at, Scott?"

Feigning innocence, Nathan looks at her empty hand and stutters. "I have no idea what you're talking about.."

At that moment she didn't care if his girlfriend had broken up with him. She reached up to his hood, pulling it down. "First of all, no hoods on my turf-"

Cutting her off, he laughed at her word choice. "Turf, Haley? Remind me, when did you join West Side Story?"

"Wow! Never took you for a theatre geek, Nathan," she bantered back with him. Taking a more serious note, "You know when I give you equations to do, I sorta expect you to try it?"

His head lulled to the side and she could see he was frustrated. "I did try, it's just- I've been sort of caught up with drama. You probably heard.." He trailed off.

"Should I just be proud you actually came to this session? Honestly, I wasn't expecting you to be in attendance." She reasoned, slacking off on him. She had to cut the guy a break. He definitely wasn't boyfriend of the year if what the toilet stalls said about him were true but he and Peyton had been an item since she was a freshman. No wonder he didn't see logarithms as a priority.

"Nah, me and Peyton we were never emotionally close. I'd still be here." He said and his tone of voice reverted to that of the bored, lifeless boy she had met a week ago.

Unable to help herself or the situation, Haley corrected him. "Peyton and I."

Laughing, Nathan tried to brighten up his situation. "Oh she broke up with you too?"

Ruffling her hair, Haley played along. "Of course man, I was so not her type!"

"But she's yours? No wonder my smoulder doesn't work on you, James."

Smacking him across the shoulder, she was in awe at how easy the two of them spoke. Placing her chin on to her hands and ogling at his face like a twelve year old she replied. "Blonde hair? Totally!"

Watching a small smile grow on his lips, she took the pen from behind her ear and started writing new math questions for him. She reasoned with herself that he could spend their hour here catching up and this slight delay in her schedule wouldn't be detrimental. At her fifth equation, the blue eyed boy broke the silence.

"I should've guessed huh? Blonde hair. Your boyfriend is like the poster boy for an Abercrombie ad, Haley."

Choking on her own saliva, Haley couldn't help but laugh. Knowing her state, she was hyper aware this wasn't her hottest moment. Struggling to breathe as she giggled uncontrollably, Nathan was probably wondering why Abercrombie boy was dating her. Which only made her laugh harder. Calming down, she could see his eyes fill with confusion with a hint of annoyance.

"You mean Lucas?!" She had finally managed to splutter out.

"Yeah, the guy who you're so cosy with at lunch! If you're not boning then obviously I've been acting around my friends wrong," he was shocked. He was almost certain the two were together. When he had walked past the two earlier today he had overheard the blonde asking his tutor if 'that turned her on'. 'That' was a mystery to him, but he certainly knew what he heard.

"Nah, he's my best friend. The idea of us 'boning' is enough to send me into cardiac arrest at 16, Nathan." She explained, capping her pen and moving the paper towards him. Taking the paper he was hit with a sense of reality. He had turned 18 last week. Moving backwards slightly from Haley, he began to answer her questions.

* * *

"So he thought we were a thing?" Luke laughed as the two played mini golf on top of Karen's Cafe.

Nodding her head, she putted the ball through the tyre and into the hole. Turning around to face her audience of one, her arms went above her head as she screamed at her own victory. Running over to Haley, Lucas embraced her small torso with his arms and spun her around. Giggling at their celebratory ritual, Lucas placed her back onto the ground and prodded her with questions like a paparazzi.

"Miss James! Haley James! How do you do it? The mini golfer of the year! Any advice to us little guys?" He sang her praises as she responded by turning her nose up and walking over to the blue bucket by the deck chair. Reaching in and grabbing a hefty water balloon, she ran and catapulted it at Lucas' body.

"Oh, abusing your fans now Haley?" He taunted as she jumped onto his back. Hanging their for dear life, she whispered. "This is why he thought we were a thing right?" Luke suddenly felt a sense of discomfort and guided Haley off his back. "I think we need forehead tattoos."

Sending him a look that screamed, "Forehead tattoos?" He further explained. "I'll get 'Basically Brother of Haley James' and you can get 'Basically Sister of Lucas Roe' and we can carry on our simple lives."

Chuckling at his absurd plan, they made their way down the stairs and into the cold air of the cafe. "Sounds bulletproof Eugene, but I can't help but think we'd be overdoing it?"

"Ah, probably," he responded as he took her small frame under his arm and closed up his mom's cafe.

* * *

Haley's weekend was ruined. Not that she had any previous grand plans to get up to, but attending her estranged aunt Sawyer's wedding in Charlotte was definitely something that she wasn't excited for. She had known for weeks her parents would be leaving to attend but not that she would be called up as back-up bridesmaid after one of Sawyer's friends had an unpleasant arrival of salmonella. So here she was. A day before the wedding in 'Simple Bridal' picking up her bridesmaid. The dress wasn't the same as the other bridesmaid which made Haley's attempt to fade into the background of this wedding, even better. Sitting down on one of the antique chairs waiting for her name to be called. Looking around she couldn't help but feel smothered by white tulle and taffeta. Hoping to god that her dress would look nothing like this she prayed.

"Haley!" A small blonde woman called her name from behind the counter. Walking up to her she was fully prepared to see what monstrosity aunt Sawyer had bestowed upon her. "Your dress is in the changing room dear. If you need any help just shout. It's Deb!" The cheery woman lead her to the room and then left Haley to her own devices.

Looking at the dress, she let out a sigh of relief. It was simple- for her aunt Sawyer. A sweet off the shoulder neck line, modestly meeting at the valley between her breasts. The gown fell on it's own accord as the corset waist distinguished how puffy the dark blue tulle fabric would appear depending on how tight you pulled the corset laces shut. Struggling to tie herself up from the back- even with the aid of the mirror, Haley knew she'd have to enlist the help of Deb. Tying it as high as she could muster and hugging her arms around her waist in an effort to keep the dress from falling down, she set out to find Deb.

"Deb?" Haley peered from her room. Spotting her at the end of the bridal catwalk, Deb motioned for Haley to walk down. Haley Bob James, also known as masterclass klutz, struggled down the catwalk whilst holding up her dress in the back and front. Managing to walk to Deb without flashing the entire store, she asked for her assistance in lacing her back. As Deb got to work in destroying Haley's intestines via corset lacing, she was so focused in holding her breath, she didn't spot a certain tutee of hers make his way into the store.

"Mum?" At the sound of that voice, Haley looked up to see Nathan Scott. Finishing off Haley's corset, the woman she knew as Deb ran down to greet her son and left Haley choking for air. Partly due to the arrival of Nathan but mostly due to how ridiculously tight she had pulled her corset. Turning fully around, she saw the two engrossed in conversation.

Attempting to dodge Nathan's eye line, she slumped her way behind Deb in a sprint to the changing rooms.

"Oh Haley! C'mere, always good to get a man's opinion right?" Deb called after her.

Turning around to meet her demise, she was face to face with Nathan. Well more face to boobs as that's where his eyes were so obviously staring at. Coughing to get his attention, she noted his eyes almost bulging out of his head from the sudden gyration. Looking up to her face, it seemed Nathan was just as shocked to see her.

"Nate, doesn't she look lovely?" Deb prodded.

Spluttering out a response, Nathan replied, "Yeah Haley.. So who's the lucky guy then? Not Abercrombie I'm guessing." He forced his vision to be directly focused upon her eyes this time.

Chuckling at his joke, she explained. "Nope, just stand in bridesmaid." She said as she brought her hand into an army salute.

Clapping behind them, Deb seemed over the moon. "OH! This is your Haley, Nate?"

If he wasn't so stoic, Haley assumed he would have blushed at that comment. Instead, he looked directly into Haley's eyes and answered his mom. "Yep, this is my tutor Haley mom." At that, Deb began to shower her with compliments. About how she was really improving her son's grades and work ethic. Nathan could tell Haley was shocked at his mother's thankfulness, her eyes had grown twice in size. Wanting nothing more than to take off her monkey suit, Haley responded.

"That's all your son Miss Scott, I'm just overseeing that he does what he's told.." She trailed off and headed directly into her changing room. Not before over hearing Deb's whispers. "Pretty _and Modest_!" Followed closely behind Nathan shh'ing his own mother.

Taking a glance at herself in the mirror, Haley felt sick. No wonder Nathan's sole attention was focused directly at her boobs for the majority of their conversation! Apparently the tighter you lace the corset, the more it enhances the- how could she put it?- the ample cleavage she had already. Looking down at her appearance, Haley couldn't help but feel as though she looked like a French prostitute from the eighteen hundreds as this dress currently left nothing to the imagination. Banging her head against the changing room door, she wanted nothing more than the floor to open up from underneath her.

* * *

The wedding hadn't been as big as a disaster as her dress fitting had been. After her parents had let her choke down a few drinks, the night went by like a breeze. Ignoring how during the first five minutes of her arrival she was ambushed by questions of college and boyfriends. Both questions with simple answers. "Not as of yet!," to the disappointment of her huge family.

Due to her sudden voyage to Charlotte for the wedding, she had to miss a shift at the cafe. Luckily for her, Karen happened to be the nicest boss in Tree Hill- perhaps because she'd knew Haley so well, but Haley chalked it up to her warm heart most of all. She didn't seem to mind, and Haley took the shift on the Sunday night instead.

Cleaning up table five, she balanced her tray on her knee whilst humming Sheryl Crow. Hearing the bell ring, she looked up at the cafe door swinging open. They were ten minutes from closing and the head of blonde curls surveyed the cafe. Spotting Haley, Peyton uttered some apologies that Haley really wasn't listening to as she was too encompassed in the fact that this was Peyton Sawyer. She knew once she retold this story to Lucas, he'd be kicking himself for ditching early and going to the river court with the guys instead. Haley put her tray back on the table and wiped her hands down on her apron.

"Ah, no it's fine! What could I get you?" Polite Haley was a hell of a lot better than socially awkward Haley.

"Oh, can I just get a coffee to go?"

They stood in silence as Haley made Peyton's coffee and she could feel the other girl's breathing stop. Looking up at her, Haley noted Peyton's mouth opening and closing and Haley knew she wanted to say something.

"What is it?" Haley began. "Because I know that look too well- If there's something in my hair or teeth, please just tell me," She rambled.

Using her hands to express her statements, Peyton put Haley's worries to rest. "Oh, there's nothing! It's just- you're the girl who's been hanging with Nathan, right?" Haley felt a heavy hole grow in her stomach and anchor her to the spot. Nodding, Peyton carried on. "Y'know, just be careful? I know he can be charming and he's older than you but-" Cutting Peyton off, Haley's frustration began to grow. "Thanks for caring and everything but I'm not naive. I've just been helping him out." The silence manifested once more.

Pouring the contents of the coffee kettle into the cafe's paper cups, she slid it over to Peyton. "It's on the house."

* * *

 _The character death of Jay Gatsby magnified the theme of the rise and fall of the American dream, as Gatsby was the embodiment of it. When he died, so did the glamour surrounding the American dream and_

Looking up from his paper, she saw Nathan staring. "You stopped in the middle of a sentence, Nathan."

"Well I got tired. How is it though? Up to there, I mean? The paragraphs on the valley of ashes were pretty good, right?" He said, excitement flaring up in his eyes. Nathan Scott- excited by The Great Gatsby. A sight she thought she'd never see.

"Yeah dude, it was. But you can't do that to a girl. Just leave her hanging in the middle of a sentence? It's harsh. I was hanging off your every word," she chuckled and drew her hand to her hair. Nathan had been assigned The Great Gatsby to read for his English class 2 months ago and he had so candidly told her in their last session that he hadn't even picked it up from the library yet. Forcing him to read it in the week to follow, she was impressed by how much detail he had poured into his analytical essay. Noting the time, she began to pack up her things and he followed suit.

"So what is Haley James up to this weekend?'

"I've got an empty house so I will be finding shelter on my couch and watching The Office," she bit back at his attempt to joke about her lacking of social life.

"You're not coming to the game?" He questioned.

"Oh, you're still on the team?" she replied coyly.

Pushing her shoulder, he needled her about going without seeming too put out. A true Nathan Scott talent. "No, c'mon you've gotta come." Smirking down at her, he never really realised how small she was until they left tutoring. Sitting at the same level as her for an hour or two, she speaks with such confidence, you would expect her to rival his six foot two frame.

"You get that essay to me by Friday, and you'll have your very own Haley James in the bleachers," worried that she had sounded too flirtatious, she backtracked. "Just so you and Skillz both know I've got enough support for the both of you," recovering from her little mistake. Nathan thought back to his team mate. He had forgotten the two were friends. A strange sensation began to pool in his stomach.

"Okay James, expect to be blown away from the works of Nathan Scott," he smirked.

As she watched his retreating figure take down off the hall, she called after him. Turning around in anticipation, Haley shouts to him, "Oh, and on Thursday bring a couple more pens. We're spending the hour on your ugly ass handwriting Scott!"

* * *

"Since when do you come to Skillz's games?" Luke questioned her as they made their way into the gym. He had been awestruck when she asked if he had an old Raven's jersey from when he played for the team in his freshman year and she was still stuck in middle school. Unfortunately for her, Lucas had hit his growth spurt in the ninth grade and she was still being drowned in the mass of material.

"Since Nathan finished his essay on time and I shouldn't make bets with people," she grumbled. It wasn't that she wasn't proud of Nathan for finishing his essay on time. It was just that basketball was well and truly not her sport. She had grown up watching Luke and the rest of the river court boys obsess over it and the more she heard about, the more she detested it. She had really only made the wager as a sense of encouragement for Nathan. She currently wasn't letting her mind traipse into thinking that Nathan wanted her to be here. It was just part of their dynamic, funny banter that resulted in her being humiliated.

"Oh, so this is Nathan's doing? You want me to take the ROE off your back and replace it with another surname?" Lucas taunted her. Knowing he hit easy targets when he brought up Nathan.

Shh'ing him with a handful of popcorn, they navigated their way onto the bleachers.

Sitting down she spots him. A tall mess of raven black hair darting through the court. Dunking the ball into the hoop just for the pleasure of people seeing him do it. He took a jog around the court once more, the ball in his step and caught eyes with Haley. Nodding at her, he mouthed the words, "My essay was brilliant," ending it with a wink and a thumbs up. Feeling a nudge at her side, she watches Luke repeat Nathan's actions.

* * *

Haley thought she didn't enjoy basketball. That was until she watched Nathan play it. He owned the court. He moved with such confidence and grace that she had yet to see in their tutoring sessions. Each time he had contact with the ball- which was most of the game, he seemed to know the exact route to the hoop to take without even hesitating. She was in awe.

"Hales, you might wanna pick your jaw up from the floor before he thinks you're into him or something," Lucas teases. Hitting him upside the head, she reclines back onto her seat and closes her mouth. Nathan had won the game for the team. At least that's what she assumed from everyone chanting "TWENTY THREE" - his jersey number, over and over. She might like the game now that she had watched him play it, she was still clueless on the concept.

"I'm gonna go and get the car, you okay waiting for a sec?" Lucas asked, not concentrated on her. Instead his line of vision fell on Peyton Sawyer.

Smacking his butt, Haley encouraged him. "Go get her Luke. I'll walk home, I'm a big girl." He rushed off in his pursuit of his childhood crush.

Making her way out of the car park, she was suddenly stopped by a voice. "Haley!"

"Oh hey Nathan, can you believe? You're actually good at this game!"

He laughed at her remark. "Really Haley I didn't know? I also didn't know your last name was Roe and you played for the Ravens," he joked.

"Oh it was before your time man. I'm a household name Scott," she lived for this. Their incessant banter back and forth. It kept her on her toes.

Noticing her lack of companion or car, he grew worried. "You walking home?"

Nodding, she made to carry on her walk but was stopped once more. "Uh no you're not. You're a 16 year old girl Haley, you're coming with me."

She began to laugh at his ridiculousness until she saw his eyes. He was dead serious. She could feel the anger grow inside her. "I'm a big girl Nathan, I can walk home." She spelt it out slowly, frankly pissed off he thought she needed help.

"I'm not saying this as a brotherly figure Haley, I'm saying this as your friend. Get your ass in my car or I'll pick it up," his tone had gone from humorous to scary in a second. However, he had picked a fight with the wrong girl. She carried on her walk out of the car park. Getting three or four paces away from him, suddenly the air was knocked out of her.

"Nathan Scott, you put me down right this second!" She screeched. He had picked her up so her hips were over his shoulder and her butt and legs hung at his front. Hitting his back with her hands for a couple of seconds, she gave up faith. Her five foot four frame wasn't helping her now.

"Has anyone told you that you have a serious ass, Haley James?"

She screeched once more.

* * *

"I think this counts as kidnapping," she tried to reason with him.

"Then I'm a shit kidnapper, y'know _returning you to your family?_ " He laughed at his tutor's lack of sense. In their sessions, she was constantly the voice of reason. Apparently out of which she was a mess. It was sort of endearing.

"Hey James?"

Looking up at him, she knew why he was at the top of the high school hierarchy. He was all angles and muscles. His cheekbones were the real killer. His features were to die for. Getting lost in his face, she forgot he had asked her something. "Yep?"

"When's your birthday?"

* * *

It was a Thursday. Her seventeenth birthday fell on a Thursday. Which lead her to spending it with Nathan at seven o'clock. At least she had a nice view. He had waltzed over to the picnic table with a cupcake in hand, proceeding to sing happy birthday exceptionally off key. She had grown close to Nathan in the past few weeks. The two divulging slightly more into the others life. She found out that his mom had left his dad when he was young, he never really knew him. He knew more about fabrics than he wished to, thanks to his mom's store. His mother says he gets his basketball skills from his father- he resented that. He believes he got them from practice and hard work. Haley had agreed, and as she watched his grin grow on his face she couldn't help but want to see it again.

She saw it now. As she graded his homework. He thought the cupcake would get him out of any work and as a sibling of five, she knew all the tactics. He was doing his work, it didn't even skillzer if it was his birthday. Nathan was clearing his throat and holding out her cracker jack bracelet. "You left this in my car, y'know the night where I allegedly kidnapped you? I don't know- I didn't know if you'd want it back so I just decided to wait till your birthday and-" Cutting off his rambling, she hugged him. They had never hugged before. A tingling feeling crawled up her spine and set her body on fire. When she tried to let go, he tugged her back in. "Nope, tutor girl this is your second present," he settled his chin on top of her head and allowed himself to stay like that for a few seconds. More for his own benefit.

"And your third present.." He trailed off and presented his hand to her. Panicking, she punched his arm instead. "Well, I was going to give you a ride to school but seeing the abuse I'm getting today… C'mon Hales."

Sitting in Nathan's car for the second time, she couldn't help but laugh. Looking over at her from the drivers seat, he looked at her inquisitively. "What is it?"

"You called me tutor girl, why?"

Using his left hand to thread his fingers through his hair, he never anticipated having to tell her this. "Um.. That's actually what my friends call you," he stutters.

"You told your friends? That's great Nathan!" She says excitedly, proud of him for getting past his own ego.

"Well it was either that or they thought I was hooking up with a junior," he laughs. Not being able to word it or justify it, Haley was offended. She had thought they were friends. That he had gotten over his previous lame prejudice over her age. Then it all clicked. He wasn't excited for her birthday, he was excited for her to no longer be sixteen so he no longer had to associate himself with someone below him. Nathan soon realised, he was the only one laughing. Realizing his audience to his joke, he rushed to fix the mistake he had so carelessly made as they pulled into a parking space.

"C'mon Hales, you know I didn't mean it like that," he states looking over at her.

"Is this such a big deal for you Nate? Being so ashamed of hanging out with me that you told your friends I was your tutor, not out of pride or acceptance but out of disgust. The idea of hooking up with me that terrible, huh?" She makes her way out of his car. Following her out, he didn't want to fight with Haley. Properly at least. He loved fighting with her. He loved watching her get pissed off at him. How her hands clenched and her eyes burned with passion. At such a small height she could get lost in a crowd, but when she was angry at him, Haley was the only thing he could see.

"Haley!"

She sighed. The burning fire in her eyes wasn't there. Her hands weren't clenched but instead running through her honey brown locks. "Y'know Nate, I forgot for a sec.." Slamming his car door, Nathan shouts. "Forgot what?"

"That you were Nathan Scott. Thanks for reminding me."

* * *

It had been a week. He was avoiding her. Or she was avoiding him, she wasn't too sure of the specifics. She just knew there had been no tutoring sessions in the past week and she had only seen him in the quad. Laughing carefree with his friends. But she came anyhow. It was their after school session and here she was, sitting at the back of the tutor centre, writing out possible essay questions that she'd give him if he came. She had spent the week distracting herself at the river court. She had missed those guys. Her seventeenth was spent at Karen's Cafe eating their hearts out on one of Karen's cakes. A true godsend that Karen Roe was. Karen had clocked something was wrong with her the minute she sat down at their table. Settling the plate of cakes on the table, her second mother whispered past her ears. "Whatever it is honey, nothing can't be fixed with one of my cakes." Well she was right- for the first five minutes. The rest of the night was spent dwelling over the thought that she had perhaps overreacted to Nathan's statement.

Hearing a gust of wind, she looked over at the tutor centre doors. Speak of the Devil and he shall appear. In all his glory, Nathan Scott looked terrible. Flashbacks to the day she had found him with his hoodie over his head in her very seat after the Peyton situation ran through her mind. It seemed so long ago. They had come so far and she was causing rifts in their friendship because of a joke.

"I'm sorry-"

"I'm sorry-"

The two started at the same time. Laughing at the chances, Nathan moved across the length of the tutor centre to hold the girl that had been causing him such torment in his arms. "You know fighting with Peyton didn't piss me off this much?" His attempt at brightening the mood was lacklustre but she appreciated that he tried.

"I don't like fighting with you either," she whispers as she nestles further into his arms. Staying there for a few moments, he holds her at arms length and grips onto her shoulders. Staring intently into her eyes, Haley thinks she's never felt this vulnerable in her life. It's as though he's not just looking into her eyes, but something deeper.

"I'm a dick, Haley. I'm not good at this. Being a good guy. I'm not ashamed of you- not in the slightest. When I'm with you, you make me want to try harder and it's probably not because of the cute comments you leave at the bottom of my essays. It's like I'm a better me and this past week has been hell." After he had said his piece, he dragged her back into his arms. How close he held her now, wasn't close enough.

"You didn't show up at the docks," she mumbled into his chest.

"I didn't think you'd want me to," he whispered into her hair.

The two were platonic. Not like her and Lucas but what they were feeling now was a need. Not of lust but for something more emotional. Being held by Nathan gave her the same happiness that rushed through her veins when she performed in the shower. It was a mystical experience. In his arms she felt as though nothing bad could happen, even when he was partly to blame for her emotional state.

"I'd always want you to." At that Nathan looked down into the petite girl's eyes, wanting to mend whatever he had broken. Wishing he could get past not only his ego but the crippling ego of his reputation to make things right. "What can I do Hales?" He whispered so faintly as though he wasn't completely sure he wanted her to hear it.

She looked up at him with an upturned grin. "Well there is something."

* * *

The two found themselves at the river court, basketball in tow. Still confused by her request for his presence and basketball at the run down court, he finally gave in to temptation. "So you gonna tell me why we're here?" He asks, bouncing the ball effortlessly. She looked at him over her shoulder and he couldn't help but kick himself for wasting a week without her. Nathan wasn't exactly sure when he started feeling this way, but he sure as hell realized it when she wasn't there for him each Monday, Thursday and Friday. He guessed that whoever said, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder,' had their own Haley James.

"I have a secret." That sure as hell caught his attention. Drawing up his eyebrows to tell her to divulge in him once more, she did.

"I'm a straight A student. I plan to be valedictorian next year. I like trying, Nathan. Lately however, I haven't been able to sail through PE solely on theory," she grew quiet. "If I want to keep my A's, I need to do one of those free shots-"

"Free throws, Hales." He cut her off.

"Yep them and- maybe it's better if I just show you," she stated, waiting for him to bounce the ball over to her. In true Haley James fashion, she went for the basket and missed entirely. If she wasn't so put out by the chance of losing her straight A streak, he would've laughed. Looking at her puppy dog face, he couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Hitting his chest, she bit back at him. "Oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing Nathan," she tried to hide behind her poncho.

"You're not _that_ bad Hales," he says as he moves behind her. Covering her hands with his own, he places them in the position they should be in. Whispering to just the two of them, he begins. "You wanna bring your hands right above- there you got it. Now your hips.." Not taking his hands off her, he traces her body from her palms to her hips, sending shivers down Haley's spine. Evening out her stance, he couldn't help but tighten his grip on her hips ever so slightly. Sending cool breaths of air past her ear, he whispers once more. "And just shoot.."

* * *

Why she had let him convince her to attend this, she was baffled. Lucas and Haley stood in the living room of Nathan Scott's beach house. The house was swarming with people- most she had no idea who they were, faces she had never encountered at school before. Tugging her hand, Luke brought her to the mantle where three crystal dog ornaments stood. "Well, at least we know you're marrying into money, right?" Hitting him upside the head at his suggestive comment, she set out to find the only person she truly knew here.

Trailing from room to room, she couldn't find the boy she was looking for. Letting Luke set out to find his newfound friend Peyton, she was alone. Nursing the drink she had in her hand, she walked out onto the boardwalk. Walking past the pairs of horny teenagers, making out to the rhythm of the music playing, she found who she was looking for. Not that she was expecting a reaction from him, but she had taken more care into her appearance. Settling on a long teal skirt and a white cropped vest, she felt confident. As she tapped on his shoulder, his intake of breath was the last drop of courage she needed. Tonight she'd tell him.

"You look different," he slurred. His bloodshot eyes told her all she needed to know. The idiot was drunk.

"Good or bad different?" She prompted.

Smirking at her, she knew he was charismatic even in his drunken state. "I think you're well aware what type of different, James. If not, then you're obviously not smart enough to be my tutor."

"Looks like you need a new tutor then, huh?" She taunts as she brings her bum to sit down next to him on the sand.

"Nah, I've already checked. Kurt Hughes hardly gives me a stunning view to distract myself with," he speaks, she barely notices how each word he speaks is mumbled into the next.

"Studying at the Docks is really a sight," she says wistfully, thinking back to all of their study sessions there. She too got lost in the waves of the sea whilst he spent the time catching up to the lessons he lost.

"I wasn't talking about the Dock, Hales."

At that her head sprung up. Looking at him frantically, she needed to know if he meant what he said in the way she had assumed. A sign from his eyes at least. He stared into her own and slowly let his gaze fall to her button nose, past her cupids bow and finally settling upon on her pink, full lips. That was the confirmation she needed.

"Haley!" Looking back to the house she sees Lucas waving. Laughing at him and waving back, she momentarily forgets about kissing Nathan. "Who's that?" HIs slurred speech was back. Confused at his question she tries to piece back tipsy Nathan's memory. "Lucas Roe, y'know the guy you call Abercrombie?" Suddenly he was up on his feet. Stalking away from her.

"Nate?" Calling after him, she knew he was pissed off. The reason however, was unclear to Haley.

Startling her, Nathan turns and shouts. "He's Roe?" At a loss for words, she can't help but nod. "That was the name at the back of your jersey, Haley." He's harsh and brutal. Each word he enunciates is spoken like a sword.

"Well, yeah Nate.."

"Don't call me that, Haley!' He shouts once more.

"C'mon Nathan, you're scaring me! What the hell is going on?" Attempting to reason with his inebriated state.

"He's a senior too, Haley. You screwing with him too?" He taunts. That was his final jab. It felt like a slap. She's well aware he's drunk but at this point she was to angry to even give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Cut your bullshit Nathan! May I point out, I'm not even screwing you!" Her fists clench and she can feel her lip tremble. Not in fear of crying, but from frustration. Stalking after him as he walks she won't let this go. "Nathan!"

"You wish you were though, huh? Screwing me? I know what the girls in the grades below talk about Haley! Wanting to prove 'em wrong, huh?" His eyes have lost their glint. They've reverted back to the eyes she saw when she first met him. Dull and lifeless. Nothing like the boy she knew now. Knowing she didn't have to put up with his bullshit, Haley has apparently misplaced any sort of substantial retort and settles for an old faithful.

"Oh fuck you, Nathan."

* * *

She had slept at Lucas'. Not wanting to return home to her parents and explain to them why she had been crying. Lucas knew without even having to ask. So she crawled onto his comforter at one AM and was now retreating back to her abode at seven.

As she was approaching the house, she saw the figure. The boy with the mane of black hair was throwing something at her windows. Sneaking up on him she spoke in a monotonous voice. "Are you planning to wake up my parents?" Walking past him, she didn't even want to look at his face. "That's their room." She heard him drop the other stones in his hand and rush towards her.

Looking at his face she could tell he had been crying. Knowing that she should be pissed at him, she tried hard not to let this tidbit of information resonate with her. Truth was she wanted nothing more than to reach out and thread her fingers through his hair.

"Wait- Haley, look I need to apologize, okay?" Turning her around by her arm.

Hugging herself to keep from hugging him, she thought to one of the many retorts she had spent the night wishing she had replied to him on that beach instead. "You should buy 'em in bulk, if you're gonna hand apologies out that often."

Sighing, he tried to word his feelings to no avail. "Look will you just- I don't know how to do this. I make mistakes Haley. A lot and after downing too many drinks than I should have, you were in the line of fire. I'm sorry and I knew you and Abercrombie weren't a thing but shit! I was jealous anyways. I guess I just wanted to screw whatever we had up before it began, y'know to save this from happening a couple months down the line and I'm trying to apologise. I'm trying here, Hales. Meet me half way?"

Unable to keep up her stoic act any longer, Haley's composure whittled. "Why should I? I keep giving you these chances Nathan and you blow them! Whatever you wanted to insinuate last night hurt! So congratulations! You know I actually had this plan for last night? I was gonna tell you how I felt and you were going to kiss me and it was going to be magical. I really had kid myself into thinking you had changed Nate but what do I know, huh? Being a jun-"

Not letting her finish her sentence, he swooped in for the kill. She had been rambling. Her eyes were lit on fire, and her fists were clenched whilst they dragged through her hair in frustration- and that was when he saw it. The multicoloured beads held together by an elastic. That had been the only sign he needed. A soft peck. Not even three seconds long but enough for him to be able to sleep.

He had spent the last few months wishing to do that. As she bit her lip whilst she corrected his answers. Or curled her tongue when putting in her locker combination. Nathan was now looking at her with such intensity, she remembered the words on the bathroom stalls. Oh, nothing compared to their three second peck she had just experienced. Staring into his blue eyes, she watched the glint reappear. Whispering to herself, Haley had to word her thoughts somehow. "You shouldn't have done that Nathan.."

Before he could explain to her that he wanted to, she had pounced. Encircling her arms around his neck, meeting his mouth once. This time with more pressure. More need. If she thought hugging Nathan made her feel safe, kissing him felt like she was being punctured by a thousand needles. She was on fire and wouldn't have it any other way. Feeling his palms come to rest on the small of her back, she shivered at the skin to skin contact. Haley was playing with the hair at the nape of his neck absently and Nathan felt a sensation he had never gotten with Peyton, he could feel the growing love he had for this girl through their kiss. Smiling into the kiss, Haley took this as her opportunity to divulge farther. Bringing her tongue to meet his own, he settled her back onto her feet.

"Slow down tiger. I'm not that easy, you gotta wine and dine me at least once for some tongue action," Nathan murmured into her mouth once more.

"Well, you got any time to waste today?"

"Babe, I got my whole life to."


End file.
